Originally written for a review site I used to work with, but since they changed the management I think it's better to be posted here than be drowned in all of my files/documents.

Being on the rush all the time has a lot of cons in it. For one thing, you cannot spend a whole hour just for your makeup routine since you still need to get a dress, have your breakfast and commute your way over to work. So when the make-up time comes, it is so convenient that I have full coverage yet light compact powder in hand so that in one sweep I will be good to go.

And that is what this Prestige Moisture Soft Pact powder by Tony Moly is all about. When I first tried this product, I was simply impressed by the coverage and by how light it is in the face even after a whole day of work. I have been using it for a couple of months now and I still could really feel the difference it makes on the skin, whether on cold environments or humid ones.

Speaking of hot and humid days, this baby is still light and easy on the skin. I have tried going out and about, wearing it from day to night and its basically staying there and not being all cakey and smudgy, especially with an oily face like mine. As you can see, it has SPF 27 PA++ so it is definitely best for everyday use. It may not be perfect for flash photography, especially at night, but at daytime, it almost looks natural.

As for the packaging, I am absolutely obsessed with it! It has this elegant curly cues and butterfly detailing on it, and when you flip it open, the sponge/puff is there as well as the mirror. And let me just tell you, this sponge is amazing! It certainly smoothens out the perfect coverage without looking overly done and thick. My skin oxidizes so fast so with ordinary face powders, within a few minutes they're gone. But this little baby here, it is different. Even a whole eight hours in the office (air-conditioning in full blast) it stays put. Only a little touch up before heading back home is needed. I guess it will stay longer for normal to dry skin. And since I have oily-combination skin, it might oil up a bit especially on the cheeks area but blotting it out perfects it again. If you flip the plastic case for the puff over, you will see the same detailing engraved on the powder itself. Isn't that sweet??!

If you flip the container over you will find a mirror-like casing which gives it a very high-end and sophisticated look.

What I Love About This Product:

- Everything! I mean, I have been looking for ages for a powder that will not cake up on the face. And this is a gift from heaven! Literally, since it was a birthday present from my mom.

- For oily skin, it's perfect because it helps control oil and mattifies the skin all day.

- Its casing is so sophisticated and I feel like I'm holding a very expensive brand of compact powder in my hands.

- I think they have very accessible stores and shops, simply visit their site tonymoly.ph to know more.

What I HATE about this product:

- Literally? Nothing.

- About the price, as I said earlier, it was a present and I still haven't had the chance to look at the price yet.

Overall:

Generally, the only downfall that I could think of about this baby would be the price. But apart from that, it's a brilliant creation. If you are not that concerned about the price and then I definitely suggest you give this a try. For me, who always struggle to find the right piece for my skin, having this as my daily companion is like a breath of fresh air. I wouldn't have to worry about it caking all over my greasy face or have that fear of my face looking all blotchy and stuff. I only have few glances at the mirror while wearing this. So thank you, mom, for gifting me this. Now time to save up so I could buy my second one. :)

PS. Weeks after I wrote this review, I visited the Tony Moly store at Market! Market! in Taguig and checked out the price for this. My eyes popped when I saw the price. It's around 1,2k Php something. It might be a little too pricey for some, but I guarantee that you will have your money’s worth here.

This is a review I made for ph.makeupandbeauty.com. This is actually the first time I'm doing a review of a product for someone else. Just thought I’ll add it up here for a more varied posts.:) Also seen in my personal blog, jenamaen.blogspot.com

While traipsing our way out in some malls in LA, my sisters and I ran into this small booth of hair products and accessories. The sales lady was so nice she offered us a sachet sample pack of one of their product.

As much as we did not like spending too much time and money on a certain product that will not be as effective as it say it would be, the nice sales lady offered us to sample the product on our hair. She even offered a straightening iron that she said would be a nice combo with the hair serum. So she applied the product on my sisters, curled their hair with the straightening iron (I asked that she straighten mine), and have us feel the softness of the hair even after straightening/curling it. She offered a good price deal and we ended up buying two bottles of this incredible product. Yes, indeed, it was soft and really not greasy at all. She said that hair serum would not be greasy and heavy on the hair, even without washing it for a couple of days. And so we tried sleeping with the product on, and on the next whole day, the product on my hair stayed put and it did not feel oily at all. Compare to the other hair products or hair serum that I have tried before, this one does not feel heavy on the hair strands. It does not feel like my hair is being pulled down by a hundred weights. Aside from that, I noticed that every time I use it, my hair has become noticeably shiny and bouncy. The fact that it does not make my hair greasy and oily after applying it makes it my number one current choice for hair serums. As stated in the packaging, its ingredients consist of only cyclomethicone, dimethiconol, vitamine E acetate and aloe vera. The combination of Vitamin E and aloe vera makes it the perfect serum for restoring shine and softness to damaged hair – in my case, my extremely dry and frizzy hair due to heat and over styling. True to its claim, ”Get soft, glossy hair in seconds with this light, non-greasy serum”, the product does not even feel greasy on the hands. Although I could say no negative about the effect of the product on the hair, the cons that I could give here is about its price and availability on the market. As per checking on its website, the Vitamine E Hair Serum costs $49.95, which is in my opinion a pretty costly one for a hair product. We got ours in a very good deal with the sales lady on the booth, so if ever I run out of this product, I’m not sure if I would want to get it online at all. HerStyler Hair products are currently available only in the US malls and online (www.herstyler.com), which is a great disadvantage for us living here in the Philippines. One of things that are a bit of a no-no for me about this product is its container. Although it looks sleek and sophisticated in its glass pump container, for a travel freak girl like me, I need to be extra careful in carrying it around. One bang on floor could lead to its utter end, worst than its making a greasy mess in my luggage. J My Pros about this item:- It is really effective in bringing back shine and luster to an otherwise dry and dull hair. - It has dramatically reduced my frizziness as well as my split ends. - It can be applied before styling and even after using heating tools. - It is not greasy or oily in the palms as well as in the hair. - It does not drag the hair down making it look flat and lifeless. The Cons for this Item:- The cost of the item online is simply not practical for a simple person like me (meaning, its expensive) - Its glass container makes it fragile for a traveler’s luggage. To sum it all up:This product really does what it says. It’s light and non-greasy, perfect for making your hair soft and glossy in seconds. So if you’re one who cares more about the value of a product than its price, this one is truly a good investment when it comes to hair serum choices.

There was a moment in time that I had those itchy blotches all over my legs that make it look so disgusting all the more with scratchy scars on it. It was probably due to some lotion I had applied that was not really accepted by my skin. So, obviously, I had to find some ways to make it gone.

I did some research and found out that oatmeal is good in getting rid of the redness of the scars as well as the scar itself. Combined with the benefits of milk on the skin - which has several nutrients which help skin look its best as well as antioxidants that helps prevent skin from future environmental damage - these two powerhouse actually helped me relieve of this unsightly itchy skin problem.

And I found this combination in Bench's Oatmilk Body Scrub. There wasn't much to choose from since this is the first thing I found that practically suits my budget at that time. Without hesitation I purchased it. That was one year ago. Fast forward to today, I'm still using this baby two to three times a week and the nasty blotchiness are totally gone.

Its soft, creamy consistency is so perfect for that sensitive skin. The actual scrub is not so scratchy when applied but effectively strips away the dirt and grime off the skin. Its milky scent makes bathing experience a very pleasant one. And the best the thing is, once you wash off the scrub, you will instantly feel your skin to be so soft and supple it makes you want to stay in the shower room all day.

You may not notice it on the photo, but it has those beads as with any other scrub. The only difference is, once you start rubbing it all over your body, it doesn't feel like those scratchy beads other soap and body scrub has, since these are not actual beads but crushed oatmeal bits. Surprise! You don't have to use the oatmeal package you find in your own kitchen anymore! Combine it with the milk extract. your skin will definitely be fed to its fullest.

The end result for me is so interesting. Changing the lotions that I used might be one of the factors why those nasty blotches have been eliminated but what I used inside the shower while bathing had been and will always have an effect on the skin that I have. So choose your bathing tools and cleansers carefully for they are the start for a great looking skin - or for a nasty blotchy ones.

Hi Everyone! Hope you are all enjoying your new year so far! As my first review this year, I’m going to start off with the makeup tools that I recently got from Props Tools and Cosmetics. Before divulging my money into these brushes, I was attracted to a different set of brushes that have the same cute, pink packaging. Those brushes are sold individually and when I looked at the prices, they are kind of expensive for my liking. So when I found out these set of brushes for Props Tools and Cosmetics, I was more that ecstatic and immediately purchased it. This company was founded two years ago with the vision of bringing quality products to the Philippines. I have tried out a palette from them and it worked really well so I thought of buying some brushes from them too. I was so excited upon receiving my own set of 20-piece brush set that came in a cute pink brush roll that is, in my opinion, a little too cute and girly than the tradition black-red or black-white color combo.

As you can see here, the 20-piece brush set comes with the most useful eyeshadow brushes as well as the fan brush, powder brush and blush brush that are all made from natural goat’s hair. They pick up color pigments well enough to be blended seamlessly on the skin. The other brushes, like the stippling brush, foundation/concealer brush, eyeliner brushes come in handy with their synthetic bristles which are good for picking up moist or cream products. This set of brushes is a good option for ladies out there looking for handy but affordable brush sets in the market. Compare to expensive brands, I guess this is a nice a bet. I got my own set of these brushes four to five months back but I only started using it a few weeks ago. So far it has gone to two or three washes already and still pretty functional. The first time I got this I immediately opened it and I could smell the pungent odor of the whole thing, evidence of its out-of-the-factory good condition. With that, I needed to clean it thoroughly to get rid of that smell. There are things I noticed, though, after a couple of washes. The natural-goat-hair bristles still had that smell if not thoroughly dried out. The other thing is that the natural-goat-hair brushes tend to fray out causing it to be less effective in picking up color pigments and blending easily on the skin. Other than that, I recommend this set of brushes to anyone who is looking for a good buy. These brushes can be bought online through their Facebook page or Multiply page, making it easy for those loyal online buyers and for those who would not want to leave their houses for just a set of brushes. They also have a store in Manila so it could be visible to the public easily. Things that I like about this set:- Its cute pink packaging makes it so girly and fun enough for my liking - Its handy and small enough to be carried around in my suitcase, really suitable for my travelling lifestyle - The bristles pick up products good enough and make it blend seamlessly on the skin. - Can be bought online without the hassle of going out of the house just to get a set. Things that I dislike about this set:- The bristles, especially the natural-goat-hair ones, tend to fray out if not dried off in a proper position. - The smell, when not dried off completely, is a bit disappointingly gross, specifically for the natural-goat hair ones. Overall:This brush set is so handy. You can bring it anywhere and achieve that desirable look that you want anywhere you go with this cute brush set. Just make sure it doesn’t get wet along the way.

Repost from a review I wrote for ph.makeupandbeauty.com.One thing that has been added to my every day face routine is the under eye gel, which is in my case, the Herbalife Nourifusion Multivitamin Eye Gel.

Photo source: http://www.herbalwisesupplements.com/all-skin-typesBefore trying out any under eye gel or any eye creams in this case, my only concern was that, at early 20s, I’ve had signs of premature crow’s feet and ugly dark circles around the eyes. I panicked quite a bit then, so I did a scavenger hunt for good eye creams or gels. Being a Herbalife distributor quite some time, I’ve had chance to try out their products at a discounted price. I never expected much from this product, thinking that it would be just another product that does not do what it claims to do. But I was wrong, considering that I have been using this for a couple of years now. I have noticed a big difference on the condition of my under eye. Before, it looked so discolored and so puffy that I totally felt like so old than my actual age (I was 21 or 22 then). I was developing those unsightly crow’s feet and my eyelids were darker than normal. In short, my eye area was not a pretty sight. To be honest, I have tried other eye creams before but they never really did anything to that poor condition of my eye area. After a couple of years of being patient with this product, I think I have gained the result that I wanted. My under eye area seems to be less puffy now, it has become firm and supple, and the discoloration is gone under normal condition (of course, we all know that a goodnight’s rest is the best contributor for a good under eye condition). The premature crow’s feet on the sides of my eyes are dramatically reduced and my eyelids have become significantly lighter. I guess being patient really has it effects. J One good thing that I like about this product is that, one tiny pea-size amount on your finger is actually enough for both eyes. It comes in a 15ml travel size tube that actually goes on for months. Its pointed end makes it easy to squeeze out a small amount to the tip of the finger. Its gel-like consistency makes it suitable for all skin types. It dries quickly on the skin so you can definitely feel that it’s being absorbed by the skin well enough. Although the topic of reducing under eye puffiness and discoloration combined with the treatments to be done for crow’s feet is a broad one, applying the proper eye cream or gel is one step to generally improve the appearance of the skin around the eyes. So finding the right one that suits well for you is a crucial thing. If you are like me, someone from early to late 20s, the saying goes true for us, “Prevention is the key”. Starting your day and ending it with a good eye cream or gel is a proper routine to take care of the skin around eye. What I Like about the Product: - Its gel-like consistency makes its absorbable even on my very sensitive, oily skin type. - It’s small enough to be carried around for traveling. - A tiny pea-sized amount goes a long way. What I Dislike about the Product- It’s available only from the company’s registered distributors. - Buying it on retail price is PRICEY! I think P1,916 is too much for a tiny eye gel. Summary:Overall, this product is another wonder-product for me. Although this is pretty expensive, I guess the price speaks well for its effectivity.

About me

jenamaen.com is a hub where I share unique travel destinations I have seen, distinctive novels and other books I have read, beauty products, and fashion innuendos I have tested, and quirky handcrafted stuff I have created. It is a lifestyle blog of an intricate mind.